NEWS

BCBS of Mass. Foundation Releases New Primer on Long Term Services and Supports in Massachusetts

May 1, 2024

Long term services and supports (LTSS) are the critical services and supports that people with disabilities and chronic conditions of all ages use to meet their daily living needs, remain independent, and participate in their communities.

A new primer provides a thorough landscape assessment of LTSS in Massachusetts and serves as a follow-up to the Blue Cross-Blue Shield of Massachusetts Foundation’s December 2022 report, A Focus on Health Care: Five Key Priorities for the Next Administration, which identified improving access to LTSS as one of five key areas requiring immediate and focused action in Massachusetts. This information may be helpful to communities working to become more age- and dementia friendly in terms of understanding ways to inform, connect and support older adults with services.

The primer is intended to help stakeholders better understand LTSS in Massachusetts: what these services are, who uses them, and how they are delivered and paid for. In summarizing the available data on LTSS payers and programs, utilization and spending, workforce capacity, and quality, the primer highlights the strengths and the challenges in LTSS delivery and access in Massachusetts today.

It also identifies opportunities and considerations for improving access to and quality of LTSS in Massachusetts.

The BCBS of Mass. Foundation also includes an infographic to summarize LTSS in Massachusetts.